2026 Phi Zeta Research Day Awards and Scholarships

The Phi Zeta Research Day was celebrated on March 3, 2026, by the Sigma Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. It provided a unique opportunity for veterinary and graduate student researchers within the College of Veterinary Medicine to showcase their ongoing research in a local, encouraging, and instructional environment. It also provided an excellent opportunity to network, establishing mentorships and research collaborations within the college.

Dr. Joseph Bartges, professor of internal medicine, intervention radiology, and nutrition from the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, delivered the keynote address during the event.

More than 50 oral and poster presentations were delivered on this occasion, and awards in different categories were conferred during a reception and ceremony that evening. Additional research scholarships and graduate student awards were also presented, including the prestigious Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence delivered this year to Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro.

Zoetis and Royal Canin were the proud sponsors of the Society of Phi Zeta Sigma Chapter’s Research Day. The recipients of the awards and scholarships are as follows.

 

Basic Science — Oral Presentation

• First place — Saurav Pantha (left), graduate student, “Sexual Dimorphism in Metabolic Responses to Influenza Vaccination in a Mouse Model of Diet-Induced Obesity”
• Second place — Luija Mudiyanselage (right), graduate student, “Development of a Biosafety Level 2–Compatible Prototype Infection Model to Investigate Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) Interactions with Culex tarsalis Mosquitoes”
• Third place — Sujan Kafle (middle), graduate student, "Mucosal Infection of CAST/EiJ Mice with Mpox Virus"

 

Applied/Clinical Science, Small animal/exotics – Oral Presentation

• First place — Brooke Paisley (right), second-year veterinary student, “Trimethoprim Alone Attains High Urine Concentrations and May Be Effective for Canine Urinary Tract Infections”
• Second place — Dr. Hannah Kunzman (middle), house officer – “Complications Secondary to Castration Technique in Client-Owned Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)”
• Third place — Erin Turman (left), second-year veterinary student – "Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Sequence Optimization of the Thoracic Duct in a Heterogeneous Patient Population"

 

Applied/Clinical Science, Large Animal – Oral Presentation

• First place — Liliana Rivas (not pictured), graduate student – "Optimal Sampling Time for Indigestible Sugar Markers of Gastrointestinal Permeability in Yearling Cattle"
• Second Place — Emily Evans-Stevens, second-year veterinary student – "Evaluation of Sanitation Procedures in Swine Nursery Facilities Utilizing ATP Bioluminescence"
• Third Place — Madeline Mancke (left), graduate student – "The Effect of Shade on Steer Performance after Terminal Sort"

 

Basic Science - Poster Presentation

• First place — Zane Kohl (right), research assistant – "Susceptibility of U.S. Domestic Sheep to Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus"
• Second Place — Maxwell Parr (not pictured), undergraduate student – "Acute Deletion of Adiponectin Increases Expression of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors in Skeletal Muscle Arterioles"
• Third Place — Shristy Budha Magar (left), graduate student – "Sex-Specific Effects of Obesity on Fecal Microbiota During Acute Low- and High-Dose Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice"

 

Applied/Clinical Science – Poster Presentation

• First place — Kylie Bitcon (right), second-year veterinary student – "Exploring the Impact of an Early Research Experience on Veterinary Career Paths"
• Second Place — Regan van den Elsen (left), second-year veterinary student – “Assessment of Canine Cancer Risk and Sites of Superfund and PFAS Contamination in Kansas”
• Third Place — Katherine Shirley (not pictured), graduate student – “Assessment of Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Outcomes in Stocker Cattle Following 3- or 6-Day Post-treatment Intervals Using Pradofloxacin for Initial Treatment"

 

 

Clinical Case Studies Awards

• First place — Drew McNassor (right), fourth-year veterinary student – "First Successful Management of Confirmed Canine Malignant Hyperthermia"
• Second Place — Dr. Devon DiBello (not pictured), house officer – “Widespread Osteolysis as an Uncommon Manifestation of Equine Sarcoidosis”
• Third Place — Dr. Julianne Nussbaum (left), house officer – “Apitherapy: Clinical Use and Application for a Case of Liposarcoma in a Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus)"

Endowed Scholarships and Awards

Benjamin and Catherine Kurz Research Scholarship

Carissa Torres (middle), first-year veterinary student, with Drs. Kate and Butch KuKanich

 

Miller Pathology Scholarship Award

Dr. Derek Mosier congratulates Ava Jones, third-year veterinary student

 

A.S.R. Ganta Graduate Award

Sandeep Adhikari, graduate student, with Dr. Derek Mosier

 

A.S.R. Ganta Veterinary Student Award

Cheyenne Town, third-year veterinary student with Dr. Derek Mosier

 

Dr. Harish C. and Ved K. Minocha Scholarship

Dr. Mikki Minocha (right), congratulates graduate students Nicole Ostrander, Mahamudul Hasan and Audrey Matheny

 

Zoetis Research Award for Excellence in Research by a Faculty Member

Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro, professor in Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, accepts the Zoetis Research Award for Excellence in Research by a Faculty Member, presented by Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs, Dr. David Renter.

 

Keynote Speaker, Dr. Joseph Bartges

Phi Zeta officers, Drs. Nicky Cassel and Santosh Dhakal, thank Dr. Joseph Bartges, researcher from the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine, for his keynote address: “Livin' — Lovin' — Learnin'! What a Long Strange Trip it's Been.”

 

Veterinary Research Scholars Program

Dr. Kate KuKanich introduces students who will be in the 2026 summer VRSP.

Front row: Payton Wilber, Sarah Zdansky, Carissa Torres, Jasmine Foth, Sydney Keller, Tyler Ringel and Sydney Sontag.

Back row: Renee Trout, Rahul Chopra, Nathan Frater, Elka Miles, Abigail Morris, Kate Rudigier and Dr. Kate KuKanich.

Not Pictured: Annika Senn, Maya Encinosa, Emma Prybylski

 

New members/initiates to Phi Zeta

Student Initiates

Class of 2026 initiates (rank scholastically in top 25% of the class)

2026 Initiates: Front row: Madalynn Martin, Kylynn Mallen, Danielle Gibbs, Aubrey Gauntt, Tessa Flournoy and Ashley Anderson. Back row: Morgan Dutton, Kristina Powell, Sean Mulvhill and Charles Wassberg. Not pictured: Jessica Burger, Meredith Edelmon, Caleb Hildebrand, Greta Karwath, Danqin LI, Danielle Perkon, Serena Schotanus and Qi Zhang.

 

Class of 2027 initiates (rank scholastically in top 10% of the class)

2027 Initiates: Front row, from left: Ava Jones, Jimena Kilian, Maeve Kumke, Sallie Gutt, Shannon Spillers, Cheyenne Town and Marquette Stanley. Middle row: Mallory Carlson, Katie Brighton and Madison Gagneaux. Back row: William Crewe, Reaghan Engel, Chase Gore, Jenna Martson, Allyson Hazy, William Johnson, Joseph Kapral and Jordan Kahn. Not pictured: Sophia Pagranichniy and Avery Schaefer.

 

 

House Officer Initiates

Initiates: Stephanie Cruz Rosada, Sahar Abdelrahman, Hannah Kunzman and Isabell Stamm. Not pictured: Madison Dunlap, Caitlyn Mullins, Devon Dibello and Alexis Watanabe.

 

Research/Graduate Initiates

Initiate: Haitham Alneaemy. Not pictured: Hari Balaji Sridhar and Sri Nithya Dasari.

 

Honorary initiates

Dr. Jayme Souza-Neto, Susan Rose and Dr. Chandler Diehl